


frozen

by eerian_sadow



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: fic_promptly, Gen, Ice, dubious robotic sciences, partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-11 00:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2045193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arcee should have remembered the lake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	frozen

**Author's Note:**

> written for the July 28, 2014 challenge week at fic_promptly.
> 
> filling this lonely prompt: http://fic-promptly.dreamwidth.org/149886.html?thread=6830718#cmt6830718
> 
> notes: takes place in an AU where Cliffjumper survives the pilot.

"Ratchet, I need a bridge!" Arcee grabbed the artifact and ran.

 _"Stop her!"_ Knockout's shout spurred her on. Cliffjumper took a shot at the medic and Knockout swore. "After her, Breakdown!"

The femme added as much speed as she could, but the snow covered terrain was impossible to gain any traction on. She slid across the surface as much as she actually ran, while Breakdown's heavy, lumbering steps sounded behind her.

His extra weight was going to give him an edge today. If Ratchet didn't get their ground bridge opened, the Decepticon was going to catch her.

"Ratchet!" The femme resisted the urge to tap her comm link to make sure it was working.

"Arcee, veer left!" Cliffjumper's shout cut through her annoyance and she tried to follow his directions, trusting that her partner was watching her back like he always did. Instead, her feet lost the small amount of traction they had and she fell onto the frozen lake that she had forgotten about.

Breakdown's steps slowed and stopped, and the femme twisted around so that she could see him. Arcee's optics went wide as he brought his hammer down on the ice.

"Scrap!" She scrambled to her feet as the ice cracked. Breakdown slammed his hammer into the ice a second time, and the surface of the lake exploded into ice shards.

Arcee took one step before the ice beneath her cracked. The second step sent her plunging into the frigid depths.

The freezing water flooded her systems, chilling her systems and turning the energon in her lines to sludge almost instantly. Her processor slowed to a crawl as her body fought to stay online, but she could feel the darkness of shutdown creeping quickly in. She simply wasn't built to handle cold, especially without any preperation.

Arcee locked her fingers in place around the artifact as she sank. If the Decepticons still wanted it, they would have to come down into the water and pry it from her cold, dead hands.

Then, she shuttered her optics to wait for the end.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 _"Arcee!"_ Cliffjumper felt panic sinking into his spark as he saw his partner go under the ice. She barely had enough insulation to survive a snow storm; a frozen lake would probably offline her for good.

The Autobot turned back to Knockout and leveled his weapon at the Decepticon's chestplates. He fired twice, knocking the medic backward and doing enough damage to take him out of the fight. Then he sprinted toward the lake, not bothering to check if his opponent had survived or not. Arcee was his priority.

"Knockout!" Breakdown's cry was a mix of anger and fear. The blue mech turned away from the lake and charged toward Cliffjumper, hammer ready.

The red mech shook his head and raised his blaster. He aimed toward the Decepticon's face and fired. Breakdown screamed and covered his good optic with his hand. Cliffjumper used the opportunity to dive under the huge mech's hammer and into the water after his partner.

The cold his his systems like a slap, and he wondered if she had managed to stay online at all as he peered through the murk looking for any sign of Arcee. As he sank into the depths after his partner, he opened a comm line and sent a text-only message to Ratchet.

**Currently under water. Could really use that ground bridge about now.**

Ratchet's reply was slow to come, and disheartening. **Ground bridge in approximately five minutes. Base currently without power.**

 _Well, scrap._ Cliffjumper forced himself to focus on finding Arcee. Without a ground bridge, they'd have to worry about getting warm first and getting back to base second.

A flash of blue caught his attention and the red mech kicked his feet to speed his descent. Arcee came into view slowly, Iacon artifact still clutched in her hands. Cliffjumper grinned and kicked his feet again.

 _That's my partner. Mission first._ He wrapped his arms around and pulled her against his chest plates. Together, they were too heavy to get back to the surface but maybe he could keep her warm long enough for Ratchet to open the bridge down here.


End file.
